Eco & Environment | Posted on July 22nd, 2024 | return to news
Look out, look up: National Grid issues warning to Dorset farmers
National Grid is urging farmers to “look out, look up” and stay safe around electrical equipment as part of Farm Safety Week.
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The operator of the country’s electricity network is urging Dorset farmers to “look out, look up” and stay safe around electrical equipment as part of Farm Safety Week, which begins today until 26 July.
National Grid says every year it is called to incidents where farm vehicles collide with overhead power lines. It estimates that at least one agricultural accident involving overhead lines is reported every day in the UK.
In one incident, a farmer near Whimple in Devon hit an electricity line pole with his tractor. The tractor driver didn’t realise he had clipped the pole with his trailer and continued dragging it for another six metres until it came down on top of him, with a steel cross arm penetrating the cab roof.
Fortunately, the driver escaped uninjured by jumping clear of the tractor.
With farm machinery increasing in size, National Grid warns that accidents could become more likely.
Paul Woodward, safety manager for National Grid Electricity Distribution, said: “Every year, our engineers and technicians are called to incidents involving farming equipment and overhead power lines.
“Accidents involving the electricity supply can have devastating consequences, so it’s really important that farmers ‘look out’ and ‘look up’ – particularly when working with big or heavy machinery.
“We are committed to ensuring that farm workers have the knowledge and resources they need to get home safe every day and will continue to work with farming communities in Dorset and across the country to reduce incidents involving our power lines.”
As part of National Grid’s farm safety campaign, the operator has outlined these simple steps to ensure farmers stay safe when working close to power lines:
- Never raise elevating equipment, such as spray booms, cabbage harvesters and trailer bodies, under or close to overhead power lines.
- Never store or move materials under, or close to, overhead power lines, as this reduces the safe clearance distance beneath the overhead lines.
- Know the maximum reach and height of any vehicle you are operating and be vigilant when using GPS – accidents can still happen.
- You cannot see electricity – the area around a fallen line, including the soil, equipment and other objects, could be live – so stay away.
Farmers are also encouraged to use the “What3Words” app, which allows farmers to pinpoint the exact location of an incident. This means that network engineers can isolate the power in seconds using remote technology, therefore reducing the risk of accidents and threat to life.
To find out more safety advice, visit the National Grid’s website.
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